IMDA ramps up AI push as short-form platforms dominate

The agency's $48m programme backs capability upgrade as viewing habits move mobile-first platforms.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has launched a $48m programme to help media firms adapt to AI-driven production and short-form platform consumption.

The Digital Content and Capability Development (DCCD) programme, announced by senior minister of state for digital development and information Tan Kiat How, is designed to support media companies and professionals as content creation shifts toward AI-assisted workflows and digital-first formats.

IMDA said 87% of people aged 15 and above in Singapore now access platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook on a weekly basis, reflecting a continued shift toward short-form and mobile-first consumption.

Alongside changing viewing patterns, production methods are also evolving, with AI-assisted workflows, generative content tools, and short-form episodic formats increasingly used across the industry.

The DCCD programme will operate through two main pillars, namely digital content development and capability development.

The first focuses on supporting content creation and distribution across digital and social platforms, whilst the second targets production innovation, including AI-generated content and new storytelling formats.

Companies seeking to participate in the programme will undergo an accreditation process to assess their content development capabilities and track record.

Accredited firms will then be eligible for Calls for Proposals (CFPs), which will run twice a year. IMDA said 117 companies were accredited in the first exercise, with the first CFP opening on 18 June and closing on 31 July.

IMDA said the programme will also support adoption of AI tools in production workflows, allowing media professionals to shift focus toward creative direction, storytelling, and development.

Separately, media professionals will be able to access training under the National AI Impact Programme (NAIIP), which aims to train 100,000 non-tech professionals to become AI-bilingual over the next three years.

IMDA said curated courses for media professionals include programmes such as the Generative Artificial Intelligence-Enhanced Social Media Content Creation course by Singapore Management University, which covers AI-assisted short-form content production and engagement analytics.

Eligible participants can tap SkillsFuture Credit, whilst NTUC members can access additional support through the Union Training Assistance Programme.

The DCCD programme builds on IMDA’s $200m Talent Accelerator Programme, launched in December 2025 to strengthen capabilities across creative production roles including producers, scriptwriters and directors.

IMDA said the combined initiatives aim to support capability development across the media sector as digital formats and AI tools continue to evolve.